2018 Grammy Award Predictions

Beloved by some and scorned by others, The Grammys are the biggest night in American music each year. Here are the Art Department’s predictions on who will take home the nights biggest awards (though not necessarily the artists that may deserve them).

The Grammys have decided to pit five incredible pieces against each other for Record of the Year. However,“Redbone” will be the victor for this award. The mixing of the song and the vocal range of Childish Gambino is enough to outweigh the popular choice of “Despacito,” as well as the other contenders such as “HUMBLE.” and “24K Magic.” In addition, it was featured in popular films such as “Get Out,” boosting its prevalence and popularity and exposing more people to it. Its influence in the industry and pop culture still holds strong today. - Jack Grossman

Album of the Year

Childish Gambino - “Awaken, My Love!”

Jay-Z - 4:44

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Lorde - Melodrama

Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

It’s unlikely that a hip hop album will take home this award for several reasons. For one, it is likely that 4:44 and DAMN. split the vote from the hip hop community. Also, hip hop has traditionally not gotten the respect from the Grammy Awards that it deserves. The surprise album to be nominated though was Childish Gambino’s “Awaken, My Love!” Donald Glover has been having a major mainstream moment in the last year and him being nominated and winning this award feels like the icing on the cake. - David Arroyo

Awards shows like to make statements and there is no better statement that the Grammy Awards could make than by giving a song about mental health song of the year. Although a song that does not truly capture the essence of what it is like to have mental health issues, the impact “1-800” had is undeniable. There are far more deserving winners in this category, but Logic put himself in a perfect position to win. Creating a song alongside Alessia Cara and Khalid, two artists major labels desperately want to push down our throats, basically locks this award up for the rapper. - David Arroyo

Best New Artist

Alessia Cara

Khalid

Lil Uzi Vert

Julia Michaels

SZA

When it comes to the selection of Best New Artists, the voters have been given a stellar cast of artists. Despite this, Khalid, with his rapidly increasing and phenomenal popularity, is sure to snag the award. With help from Kylie Jenner in exposing him to the world, hundreds and thousands of fans flocked to him in record time. It set not only a new standard, but higher expectations for R&B/Soul industry plants like himself. The rapid advancement of his fan base and charts for his albums are going to secure him the award of Best New Artist over the likes of more deserving artists like Lil Uzi Vert and SZA. - Jack Grossman

Best Rock Album

Mastodon - Emperor Of Sand

Metallica - Hardwired… To Self-Destruct

Nothing More - The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Queens Of The Stone Age - Villains

The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

Though The War On Drugs had the strongest release of all the nominees and Metallica has been a favorite of the voting board before, Villains will more than likely take the award for the fact that industry golden child Mark Ronson produced the album. Ronson has one five prior grammys (three less than Metallica) for records such as Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” With his successful foray into the rock world and Queens of the Stone Age somehow with no Grammys under their belt still despite being one of the few commercially successful traditional-rock bands of the 2010s, Villains will take home the award. - Chandler Copenheaver

Best Alternative Music Album

Arcade Fire - Everything Now

Gorillaz - Humanz

LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

Father John Misty - Pure Comedy

The National - Sleep Well Beast

The alternative category should be another instance this year where the nominee most deserving of the award is able to bring it home. With appearances on SNL, widespread critical acclaim from mainstream and independent publications and a decent chart performance, Father John Misty is the kind of artist the voting board can pick to look like they have strong sense of the independent music scene. With co-signs from Grammy favorites Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, Father John Misty’s dystopian vision of America is a fitting pick for the current political and social climate. - Chandler Copenheaver

Best Urban Contemporary Album

6LACK - Free 6LACK

Childish Gambino - “Awaken, My Love!”

Khalid - American Teen

SZA - Ctrl

The Weeknd - Starboy

The rational around this pick is simple: “Awaken, My Love!” is the only album on the list that is nominated for Album of the Year. Because of that, it will win this award. However, SZA should actually be getting the award for Ctrl. One of the most empowering albums of the last year, SZA deserves all of the praise she is getting for that album. She won’t get the ultimate prize because of Donald Glover, but she should. - David Arroyo

Best R&B Album

Daniel Caesar - Freudian

Ledisi - Let Love Rule

Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

PJ Morton - Gumbo

Musiq Soulchild - Feel the Real

Another fairly obvious choice, Bruno Mars also has the best album on the list. Bruno Mars took a different strategy from most of his contemporaries, choosing to go with quality over quantity. That one quality album, almost two years later, is still producing hits for Mars. If not Bruno Mars, Daniel Caesar has a great chance to win with his breakout Freudian. However, it is highly unlikely that Mars doesn’t win this one. - David Arroyo

Best Rap Album

JAY-Z - 4:44

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Migos- Culture

Rapsody - Laila’s Wisdom

Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy

The voters are faced with a tough decision to make when deciding what will win Rap Album of the Year, considering the strength of the field. But, the voters will have a hard time voting against an album like Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN.DAMN. was heard everywhere, which was evident considering every song off the album was on the Billboard Hot 100 list. Not to mention “LOVE.,” “LOYALTY.,” “DNA.” and “HUMBLE.” charted inside the top 15, with “HUMBLE.” peaking at number one. Out of every album in the field, DAMN. separates itself from the pack because of how large of an audience it was able to reach. - Jerome Taylor

Best Country Album

Kenny Chesney - Cosmic Hallelujah

Lady Antebellum - Heart Break

Little Big Town - The Breaker

Thomas Rhett - Life Changes

Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 1

Chris Stapleton's From A Room: Volume 1 not only will, but deserves to win Country Album of the Year at the 60th Grammy Awards. Stapleton is the epitome of what country music should be and given how Stapleton leads with the most nominees for a country artist this year, it’s safe to say Grammy voters will agree. His powerful soulful voice paired with his songwriting skills make him stand out from the other nominees in the category. He hasn't transformed his music to the modern country-pop sound, keeping the traditional twang sound, which makes From A Room: Volume 1 the perfect contender to win country album of the year. - Lauren Smith